


An indentation in the shape of you.

by CelebrateTheFreedom



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Bucky Barnes's Metal Arm, Captain America Steve Rogers, Captain America Steve Rogers/Modern Bucky Barnes, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Modern Bucky Barnes, Shrunkyclunks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-01-26
Packaged: 2019-10-16 06:56:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17544848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelebrateTheFreedom/pseuds/CelebrateTheFreedom
Summary: Ever since the accident where he lost his arm, he never quite felt comfortable on his own skin. People either made too much of deal out of it or pretended it wasn’t there. He felt like a freak.





	An indentation in the shape of you.

**Author's Note:**

> it was supposed to be much more angsty but as usual, fluff is what I love and this story took its own turn.  
> title is from Taylor Swift's song Dress.

He stood awkwardly in the middle of Tony Stark’s lab. He was there for his biannual check up on his arm. He was glad Stark’s lab didn’t seem like a hospital. He still didn’t have the best reactions to that kind of places.

“Buckaroo, cool to see you around. Sit down.” Tony came in the room through a side door, indicating the stool by his table.

Bucky sat silently.

“How’s the arm going?” Tony was setting all the tools he’d need.

“It’s responding well.”

“Not giving you the same problems than last time?”

His arm wasn’t working the last time. It was overheating and burning the skin that surrounded it. Bucky wasn’t purposely inflicting pain on himself, but he nerves on his shoulder where basically either dead or hypersensitive, which meant he either didn’t actually feel anything or it hurt like a bitch for nothing. So when it hurt from the burning he thought it was the latter. Tony frowned when he saw the irritated skin on his shoulder and lectured him for like an hour.

“It’s not, but…” He let his sentence die. He didn’t want to complain about the arm, it was given to him, after all. And having this arm, even with all the stares, was better than having no arm at all.

Tony, when realizing he wasn’t going to continue, decided to have a stare down competition until Bucky caved. He stood there, arms crossed, waiting. After about three minutes Bucky gave in, rolled his eyes and got his cellphone out of his pocket.

“I wrote some notes.”

“Read it out.” Tony indicated with his hand for him to continue.

“The arm is heavy and makes my back hurt constantly.”

“Okay.” Tony had actually already thought about it. He had designed a lighter power component and was going to switch out with the older and much heavier one. “What else?”

“After I shower it stops working for about one hour.” Tony frowned, pocking around the plates on Bucky’s arm.

“The new power component should fix this problem, but I’d rather you show up here again in a month just to be sure.”

“Is that all?” Tony looked at Bucky suspiciously. Bucky nodded and was about to say something when Captain freaking America entered the lab.

“I think Peter is messing with my phone again.” He stopped on his tracks when he realized Tony wasn’t alone. “Sorry, I can come back later.”

“Don't you dare! What did the kid do?”

“Every time I receive a message the Spider-man theme song plays.” As if on cue the Spider-man theme song starts playing.

“It's annoying.” The captain said rolling his eyes with a pout on his lips. Bucky looked forward, trying not to laugh, Tony isn’t so polite. He laughed at Captain America’s face.

“You could try putting a better password on your phone, Capsicle.” Tony teases him.

“Can you fix it?” He gives his phone to Tony.

“Sorry, I was rude. I’m Steve Rogers." Steve said holding out his hand.

“Bucky Barnes.” Bucky shook his outstretched hand, he had a strong grip. Tony cleared his throat, apparently, they had been holding hands for longer than necessary.

“Uh, cool arm,” Steve said awkwardly.

“Thanks.” It was Tony who replied. Steve rolled his eyes at him and Bucky gave him a flat look.

“What?” He said faking innocence.

“Well, I gotta go. It was nice to meet you, Bucky.”

“It was nice meeting you too, Steve.” Bucky had this small smile on his face. It’s been a long time since he felt at ease around people, it was a nice feeling.

Steve waved before the elevator doors closed on him. He had a grin on his face.

Tony didn’t say anything else until he finished working on Bucky’s arm. “Didn’t know you like them red, white and blue.” Tony tried to sound nonchalant. Bucky snorted.

“Really, Tony?”

“I'm just saying,” He raised his hands in surrender, he had Steve’s phone in his hand. “If your number suddenly appeared on his phone that would be interesting.”

“Don’t you dare.” Bucky fixed him a look.

Tony smirked before letting Bucky go.

“Don't forget we’re seeing each other in a month!” He yelled before the elevator doors closed.

-

Bucky shook his head, Tony was impossible. Captain America was the epitome of the straight hot guy next door Bucky had nothing in common with. Unfortunately. Steve had seemed nice enough, and one of the few people who didn’t make him feel self-conscious about his arm. He had acknowledged it, not in a deprecating way, which was uncommon in itself.

Ever since the accident where he lost his arm and got a Stark’s prosthetic, people either made too much of a deal out of it or pretended it wasn’t there. He felt like a freak. Always covering it up and making sure he didn’t touch anyone with it.

He was glad he had an arm, he just hated how everybody reacted to it.

He felt a difference in his arm on the way home. It was lighter, easier to move. He rolled his shoulders, he could feel which muscles on his back had been under pressure because of the additional weight.

He had needed to work out hard to keep his body in shape to be able to support the metal arm. Maybe now he could go back to the hot yoga classes he loved and keep lifting only four times a week. The heat in hot yoga would help loosen the muscles that were being overworked.

The small things like this made him the happiest these days. Being able to walk Winter - his dog, take hot yoga classes and befriend the moms there, FaceTiming his sister until they are able to hang out. When he got overwhelmed with the rest of his life he tried to remember that the little things mattered the most.

Bucky worked from home as an accountant, which worked perfectly for him. He had a busy but flexible schedule, and he was glad he could just hide in his room on the bad days.

As the weeks went by, he discovered how hard his life was previous to this last upgrade on his arm. Things were easier with his metal arm now, like reaching for things, having control of the strength of his grip, his balance was something new altogether.

He could kiss Tony right now, which was saying something because _Ewww_ , seriously.

He tried to cancel his appointment with Stark but the man was effectively ignoring him. Bucky was sure he was plotting something but went to the appointment anyway.

In the elevator, J.AR.V.I.S said Tony wouldn’t be seeing him in the lab as they always did, but in his personal floor. Bucky shrugged and said it was okay. He got out of the elevator to a homey living room, it didn’t seem like Stark’s style at all.

It was all earth tones and beautiful artwork on the walls. One called to him, it was the view from an apartment in Brooklyn - he could tell by the brownstones and bridge, too similar to where he grew up. The artist was great, he could feel the melancholy by the tones making the picture look old and sad.

“Hi?” A deep voice called him from the entrance. Bucky turned to him, a bit stunned.

“Uh, Steve?” He said, turning his head like a puppy, Steve thought.

“Not to be rude, but what are you doing here?”

“Damn it, Tony,” Bucky said under his breath. “I'm sorry, Steve. I guess Tony set us up. I had an appointment with him today so he could look at my arm.”

“Oh, uh, we could look for him?" Steve pointed his thumb in the general direction of the elevator.

“He's been ignoring me for the last three days,” Bucky rolled his eyes. “My arm is the best it's ever been.”

“That's nice to hear.” Steve smiled softly at him.

“I’ll get out of your hair now,” He starts walking to the elevator when J.A.R.V.I.S said, “Mr. Barnes, you and Captain Rogers are only allowed to leave after sorting yourselves out.”

“What?”

“J.A.R.V.I.S, you can't do that.” Bucky and Steve said at the same time.

“Mr. Stark’s order, sorry, Captain.”

“Steve, I’m so sorry,” Bucky said, turning to look at him

“It’s not your fault, Bucky. I apologize for Tony, though.”

“That's okay,” Bucky sounded shy and shrugged, standing awkwardly.

“Do you want something to drink?” Steve said moving to the kitchen, only then Bucky realized he had grocery bags with him.

“Water?” Bucky sounded unsure. Steve moved around the kitchen, got him a glass of water.

“Do you have anything to do today?” Steve asked as he put away his groceries.

“Not really, got all my work done this morning.”

“Really? What do you do?”

“I'm an accountant, luckily, I work from home.”

“That must be cool to be able to work from home.” Steve turned his head to look at him from over his shoulder. Bucky grinned at him.

“It’s good having my own schedule to go to the gym, walk my dog, well, do whatever.”

“You have a dog?” They were headed to the living room, Steve’s eyes almost sparkling when Bucky mentioned Winter. He looked for some pictures of her on his phone and showed it to Steve.

“Her name is Winter and she is the best girl in the world.” Bucky sounded so much like a proud father he could laugh.

“Oh, she is perfect.” Steve was grinning so big.

“She really is!” He pocketed his phone away.

“Do you want to watch a movie? I have a list to catch up on.”

“Sure, maybe there’s something I haven’t seen, too.”

Steve got up to grab the list, Bucky took it as an opportunity to shoot Tony a message.

 

To Tony: _I’m planning your murder._

From Tony: _With Steve? ;)_

 

Bucky just sent him the middle finger emoji and locked his phone, putting it back on his pocket. He looked up and Steve was coming back from what Bucky guessed was his room, with a small notebook on his hands.

“Okay,” Steve sat down beside him and opened the notebook, showing Bucky the list. “Let's see.”

“I've never watched Gone Girl, but everybody says it’s awesome.”

“Okay, you search for it, I’m making popcorn.” Steve got up, gave Bucky the remote control for the Tv and headed to the kitchen. It took Bucky a hot minute to figure the tv out, but as soon as he got the hang of it, it was pretty easy finding the movie on Netflix.

Steve came back a few minutes later with two huge bowls full of popcorn and two beers. Bucky didn’t know how he managed it.

Before pressing play Steve told Bucky to get comfortable. So Bucky took his shoes off and arranged himself better on the couch.

They were on edge of their seats with each scene, sometimes they looked at each other and muttered: “What the fuck”.

By the end of the movie, Bucky was more laying down than sat on the couch and he had Steve’s feet on his lap.

Once the movie was over he looked over Steve, who had this look of complete shock on his face.

“She is a complete genius.” He said.

“Evil genius, indeed.” Steve nodded his head.

“Dang,” Steve said again after a few minutes of silence.

They ended up putting some episodes of that tidying up series to run on the background while they talked quietly for a couple of hours.

When Bucky got up and stretched, ready to go home, Steve walked him to the elevator door.

“Do you want to go on a date with me?” He blurted out. Bucky blinked back at him, startled.

“Oh, hm, I think I’ve read it all wrong. Sorry-” Bucky interrupted him.

“No, Steve, you don’t get to take it back.” Bucky kissed him on the cheek. “I’d love to go on a date with you.”

Steve gave him the most beautiful smile.

“Would you like to go for a coffee and a walk with Winter and me?”

“Yes, please.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.” Bucky turned to get in the elevator, noticing it opened without trouble.

“Bucky, wait.” He paused and Steve gave him a peck on the lips. “I’m looking forward to our date.”

Bucky reached up to put his hand on Steve’s cheek. He only realized it was the metal one when it was already too late, almost making contact, he froze. Steve touched his hand, placing it on his cheek, “I like all of you, Bucky.”

Bucky was a bit shell shocked, looking from his hand to Steve’s expression. He pulled the man in and kissed him. Steve smiled into the kiss. Tomorrow was going to be the best first date ever. 


End file.
